Motor vehicle snow and ice cover with hand grips

Abstract

A vehicle cover having a plurality of handles with tethers disposed along its longitudinal meridian for easy manipulation of said handles and attached cover so as to lift the cover and dislodge accumulated snow and/or ice. Additionally the present invention has a plurality of fastening clips for increased sustainment of the covers positioning against wind and environmental elements.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A motor vehicle snow and ice protective cover with handgrips comprising:
 a) a flexible impermeable sheet sized to fit over a motor vehicle; 
 b) a plurality of fastener elements disposed peripherally at the edges of said flexible impermeable sheet; 
 c) a plurality of handles disposed in spaced apart relation along the longitudinal medial portion of said flexible impermeable sheet; and 
 d) a storage pouch comprising:
 1) a body having one open end; 
 2) a reinforced ring circumferentially encompassing said open end of said body; 
 3) a drawstring disposed within said reinforced ring with the ends thereof of extending therefrom; 
 4) a plurality of vent holes disposed within said body; 
 5) firm rings disposed at a lower portion of said body; 
 6) a sponge material associated with said firm rings; 
 7) at least one drain with a plug disposed on a bottom portion of said body; and 
 8) a plurality of legs disposed on the underside of said body. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The motor vehicle snow and ice protective cover with handgrips as recited in  claim 1 , wherein each said handle comprises:
 a) a base integral with said flexible impermeable sheet; 
 b) a hand grip; and 
 c) a tether member communicating between said base and said hand grip. 
 
     
     
       3. The motor vehicle snow and ice protective cover with handgrips as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said tether member raises said hand grip above said flexible impermeable sheet. 
     
     
       4. The motor vehicle snow and ice protective cover with handgrips as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said tether member raises said hand grip above said flexible impermeable sheet to a height of approximately 12″. 
     
     
       5. The motor vehicle snow and ice protective cover with handgrips as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said tether member is semi-rigid and resilient to enable it to bend when manipulated by the user and to return to the static upright position when released. 
     
     
       6. The motor vehicle snow and ice protective cover with handgrips as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said base comprises an upper retainer disposed above said flexible impermeable sheet and a lower retainer on the underside thereof to prevent tearing of the material at the connection point when in use or under duress due to updrafts. 
     
     
       7. The motor vehicle snow and ice protective cover with handgrips as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said lower retainer is magnetic and forms a magnetic bond between said flexible impermeable sheet and said vehicle to prevent the casual displacement thereof once in position and wherein said magnetic lower retainers are disposed on the underside of said reinforcement layer. 
     
     
       8. The motor vehicle snow and ice protective cover with handgrips as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said lower retainer is a suction cup and forms a vacuum bond between said flexible impermeable sheet and said vehicle front and rear windows to prevent the casual displacement thereof once in position and wherein said suction cups are disposed on the underside of said reinforcement layer. 
     
     
       9. The motor vehicle snow and ice protective cover with handgrips as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of fastener elements are situated at the front, rear and sides of said vehicle. 
     
     
       10. The motor vehicle snow and ice protective cover with handgrips as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising an elastomeric band encompassing the peripheral edges of said flexible impermeable sheet forming a lower elastic band to work in concert with said fastener elements to further deter updrafts of wind therein. 
     
     
       11. The motor vehicle snow and ice protective cover with handgrips as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising an elastomeric band encompassing the vehicle roof and windows forming an upper elastic band to work in concert with said fastener elements to further deter updrafts of wind therein. 
     
     
       12. The motor vehicle snow and ice protective cover with handgrips as recited in  claim 1 , further including a reinforced layer of material bonded to the underside of said flexible impermeable sheet. 
     
     
       13. The motor vehicle snow and ice protective cover with handgrips as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said handles are coated in glow paint for enhanced visibility in low light situations. 
     
     
       14. The motor vehicle snow and ice protective cover with handgrips as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said handles are infused with a chemiluminescent substance for enhanced visibility in low light situations. 
     
     
       15. A method of utilizing a snow and ice protective cover for motor vehicles to facilitate the removal of accumulated ice and snow therefrom during removal of said cover comprising the steps of:
 a) providing a flexible impermeable sheet shaped and sized to conform to the contours of a motor vehicle with a layer of reinforcement material bonded to the underside thereof, a plurality of fastener elements disposed around the periphery of the edges of said flexible impermeable sheet, a plurality of spaced apart handles disposed along the longitudinal meridian of said flexible impermeable sheet with each handle comprising a hand grip with a semi-rigid resilient tether extending downward therefrom to a base integral with said flexible impermeable sheet and each said base comprising an upper retainer disposed on the top surface of said flexible impermeable sheet and a magnetic retainer disposed on the underside of said reinforcement material for magnetic attachment to the vehicle's metal surfaces and suction cups for attachment to the front window and for attachment to the rear window and an elastomeric band integral with the peripheral edge of said flexible impermeable sheet; 
 b) placing said flexible impermeable sheet over said vehicle; 
 c) positioning the sides of said flexible impermeable sheet with said elastomeric band; 
 d) securing the peripheral edge of said flexible impermeable sheet to said vehicle with said fastener elements; 
 e) positioning the top of said flexible impermeable sheet with placement of said magnetic retainers and said affiliated handles to form a magnetic bond between said sheet and said vehicle and placement of said suction cups to a respective front and rear window; 
 f) allowing ice and snow to accumulate on said cover; 
 g) sequentially lifting each handle up to a clearance height of approximately 16″ to urge said accumulated ice and snow to slide off said cover; 
 h) releasing said fastener elements; 
 i) releasing said elastic band from the underside of said vehicle and removing said cover therefrom; and 
 j) providing a storage pouch comprising:
 1) a body having one open end; 
 2) a reinforced ring circumferentially encompassing said open end of said body; 
 3) a drawstring disposed within said reinforced ring with the ends thereof of extending therefrom; 
 4) a plurality of vent holes disposed within said body; 
 5) firm rings disposed at a lower portion of said body; 
 6) a sponge material associated with said firm rings; 
 7) at least one drain with a plug disposed on a bottom portion of said body; and 
 8) a plurality of legs disposed on the underside of said body. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The motor vehicle snow and ice protective cover with handgrips as recited in  claim 15 , wherein said handles have luminescent properties. 
     
     
       17. The motor vehicle snow and ice protective cover with handgrips as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said handles are coated in glow paint. 
     
     
       18. The motor vehicle snow and ice protective cover with handgrips as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said handles are infused in a chemiluminescent solution.